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Tornado outbreak of April 16-20, 2009 (Blackford)
the Tornado outbreak of April 16-20, 2009, also called by some the 2009 Super Outbreak, was a devastating tornado outbreak that struck the United States during mid-April of 2009. The outbreak was the largest since the 1974 Super Outbreak, and remains the fifth-largest tornado outbreak or outbreak sequence on record. The storm produced what was for a time the deadliest tornado in Indiana state history, the 2009 Hartford City tornado. Meteorological history On April 10, 2009, a extremely powerful subtropical cyclone moved onshore in Oregon. By April 14, the system was stationed over North Dakota, and was producing a late season winter storm towards it's west. 'April 16 -' On April 15, the subtropical cyclone pulled into Canada, producing heavy snow across large parts of North Dakota, the SPC had been concerned as far back as April 8 of the possibility of severe thunderstorms popping up in Oklahoma on that day. Meanwhile, warm air moved into parts of the upper Midwest on April 15, allowing snow to transition into rain across parts of South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska that afternoon. Early on April 16, towards the northern part of the Great Plains, CAPE levels of roughly 3,000 J/kg were recorded in parts of Nebraska. Not only that, but dew points were expected to reach 65-75°F that day. The SPC became concerned for the possibility of violent tornadoes and upgraded the region to a Moderate Risk in the 06Z outlook. Meanwhile, towards the southern Great Plains, a volatile atmosphere was evident, with CAPE levels exceeding 4,500 J/kg. Not only that, but dew points were expected to reach as high as 80°F that day. This worried the SPC, and they issued a High Risk of Violent Tornadoes in the 06Z outlook. The first tornado of the outbreak touched down in North Dakota, outside of the thunderstorm risk area, around 1741Z, when a brief EF0 tornado damaged a outhouse. Meanwhile, by 19Z, violent thunderstorms began to pop up in the High Risk area, with the first EF4 tornado of the outbreak severely impacting various buildings southwest of El Reno around 2020Z. However, a unexpected cap appeared in the atmosphere, which resulted in the High Risk being cancelled at 20Z, in the end, 9 tornadoes touched down on April 16 in the southern Great Plains, while 10 touched down in the northern Great Plains. The event was seen as a bust. 'April 17 -' The most violent day of the outbreak was April 17. Late on April 16, the storm system moved into northern Ontario, providing severe thunderstorms overnight for areas along the Mississippi River, mainly south of Minneapolis. By April 17, dew points had reached 90°F and CAPE levels exceeded 5,000 J/kg in spots across Indiana. This extremely concerned the SPC, who had issued a extremely rare Day 2 High Risk the previous day for much of the Ohio River Valley. This high risk continued into April 17, when they issued a 60% + hatched chance of tornadoes, the maximum level. This tornado probability had only been seen one time prior, on April 7, 2006. It wouldn't be seen again until April 13, 2018. Extremely violent supercells initiated early in the afternoon in southwestern Indiana, and by 19Z several tornadoes had been confirmed. The deadliest tornado of the outbreak touched down at 2227, 3 miles southwest of Shamrock Lakes, Indiana. The tornado would become go on to be a high-end EF4, and kill 137 people. 88 tornadoes would touch down on April 17, and the high risk was cancelled at 01Z as wind shear decreased and the loss of ground heat caused considerable weakening to supercells. 'April 18 -' As the storm system continued eastward, on April 18 only slight wind shear and dew points around 60°F existed, this warranted the SPC to issue a Slight Risk for portions of Ohio and Pennsylvania, mainly concerning a straight-line wind event. However, as the squall line developed, backbuilding occurred towards the southwest, which allowed the more moist atmosphere and slightly higher wind shear around 600-1,000 J/kg to produce several tornadoes. The strongest tornado was a long-tracked EF2 which caused considerable damage across portions of Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Roughly 21 tornadoes touched down on April 18. 'April 19 -' As the system moved into New York on April 19, modest wind shear of roughly 1,000-1,500 J/kg existed, however low to in some instances very dew points existed, with the highest dew point in the area being 51°F at Albany, New York. Not only that, but temperatures across the region were only anticipated to climb into the mid 50's. This made the SPC not too worried, and they only issued a SEE TEXT area for the region, with a 5% chance of damaging winds and a 2% chance of tornadoes, or sub-Slight. Isolated thunderstorms did occur across the region, and in the 20Z outlook a slight risk was introduced for a 15% chance of damaging winds, however the 2% chance of tornadoes remained. 5 tornadoes touched down on April 19, with all of them being EF0's. 'April 20 -' Early on April 20, the system redeveloped it's center over Virginia, where CAPE values were roughly around 2,000 J/kg and dew points were around 60°F. This allowed more moderate thunderstorms to initiate, and by 06Z, 4 tornado warnings had been issued in Virginia. The SPC had placed the region under a moderate risk of tornadoes. However, by 16Z the system had moved offshore, however it did produce multiple strong tornadoes, mainly in North Carolina. The strongest tornado was a minimal EF4 that damaged various buildings in McDowell County, North Carolina. In the end, 18 tornadoes touched down on April 20. Notable tornadoes El Reno, Oklahoma The only significant tornado of April 16, the El Reno EF4 caused major damage southwest of El Reno, Oklahoma. The tornado touched down at 2248 west of S Ranch Road, causing minor damage to a outhouse. From there the tornado crossed W Reno Road, causing EF2 damage to a car and killing it's occupant. The tornado then struck several trees, causing EF2-EF3 damage to them. From there the tornado rapidly intensified and hit a barn at peak intensity. By 2301, the tornado had weakened slightly. The tornado would continue weakening from there, and weaken to a EF1 by 2310. The tornado lifted at 2314 over downtown El Reno. Milan-Manchester-Guilford, Indiana See article here: 2009 Milan-Manchester-Guilford, Indiana tornado This tornado, tied as the widest tornado on record with the 2013 El Reno tornado, formed at 1944 southwest of Milan, Indiana. The tornado was in a moderately favorable environment, which warranted a minimal high risk for that region. The tornado tracked through southeastern Milan as a stovepipe tornado with a width of 0.6 miles, causing EF0-EF1 damage in the area. As the tornado approached North Hogan Creek, it rapidly grew into a large cone tornado, and possibly attained EF4-EF5 intensity around this point. From there, at 1954, the tornado once again rapidly grew into a massive wedge tornado, with a peak width of 2.1 miles wide. The tornado crossed North Hogan Creek at 1956 while being 2.3 miles wide. The tornado then reached a peak width of 2.6 miles wide just southwest of Manchester at 1959. It struck Manchester at 2001 with a maximum width of 2.4 miles, causing EF2-EF3 damage in the town. The tornado crossed Flys Run with a width of 1.9 miles at 2004, before striking Guilford with a width of 1.5 miles at 2014, causing EF1-EF2 damage. The tornado then rapidly weakened, crossing Salt Fork with a width of 0.3 miles at 2019, it then lifted at 2020. The tornado's record width of 2.6 miles stood uncontested for 4 years, until it was tied on May 30, 2013 by the 2013 El Reno tornado, which also peaked at a width of 2.6 miles. The tornado was initially rated EF5, before being downgraded to a EF3 in Spring 2010, as even though winds possibly exceeded 300 mph in the storm at peak intensity, no buildings sustained damage suggesting winds of over 145 mph. Trafalgar-Franklin, Indiana Tied with the 2020 Warsaw, Indiana tornado as the third-widest tornado on record, the Trafalgar-Franklin tornado was the second of three unusually wide tornadoes. The tornado occurred within the moderate risk area, and killed 2 people. The tornado touched down at 2007 southwest of Trafalgar, Indiana, and rapidly grew and intensified once in town to a 125 mph EF2 tornado with a maximum width of 1.6 miles. The tornado exited Trafalgar at 2011 with a width of 1.8 miles wide, and reached a width of 2.0 miles wide at 2013. Southeast of Mt. Pleasant, the tornado reached a maximum width of 2.4 miles wide at 2014, with wind speeds possibly as high as 200 mph at this point. By 2020, as the tornado neared Franklin, it shrunk to a 1.8 mile wide wedge, and struck Franklin with a width of 1.5 miles at 2022. Several roofs were torn off of houses in Franklin, suggesting at-least EF2 intensity, and the tornado exited Franklin at 2025 with a width of 0.9 miles wide. The tornado lifted at 2028. The tornado's width is disputed with a original suggested width of 3.0 miles wide, which would make it the largest tornado on record by .4 miles. Sheridan-Boxley-East Union, Indiana The final, and officially the strongest of three consecutive very large wedge tornadoes, the Sheridan-Boxley-East Union, Indiana tornado peaked at a width of 2.1 miles wide. The tornado occurred within the slight risk area, and killed 10 people. The tornado touched down just southwest of Sheridan at 2020, and caused EF0-EF1 damage in the town at a peak width of 0.4 miles. The tornado exited the town at 2025 and quickly grew into a massive 2.1 mile wide tornado by 2028, it caused significant damage to several houses in far northwest Boxley, with one house sustaining damage suggesting winds of 165-175 mph, or low-end EF4. The tornado crossed Six Points Road at 2030 with a width of 1.9 miles, before it entered rural areas while slowly weakening. By the time the tornado entered East Union, it was a weak 0.6 mile wide EF0. It lifted at 2041 over East Union. Gaston, Indiana A tornado touched down near the small town of Gaston at 2035. The tornado moved northwest towards the town as a EF3 with a peak width of 0.3-0.4 miles. It struck a saw mill in Gaston before it lifted at 2044. Despite this, it did kill a person at a gas station in Gaston, and heavily damaged Wes-Del Elementary School. New Castle, Indiana This tornado, most notable for heavily damaging the New Castle Fieldhouse, the largest high school gymnasium in the world, touched down at 2116 south of New Castle. The tornado moved north, causing moderate damage to various houses and businesses before it struck New Castle High School, heavily damaging the New Castle Fieldhouse. The tornado then pulled northwest and lifted at 2130 just northwest of New Castle. It was rated a EF2. Near Fairmount, Indiana A violent and deadly large cone tornado impacted several houses southwest of Fairmount, Indiana. It touched down at 2125 with a unwarned storm, before rapidly intensifying. The tornado struck Madison-Grant High School, causing a part of the roof to cave in, several steel beams were also twisted, suggesting extreme intensity. Another house just across from the school was decimated by the tornado, killing one person. The house was cleanly swept from it's foundation, with a part of the foundation lifted. Damage here was noted as "of possible EF4-EF5 intensity", however the damage was officially rated 160+ mph, making it a high-end EF3, due to poor construction of the house. A row of well-built houses had their outer walls caved in south of Fairmount around 2130, with one very well-built house being heavily damaged. The tornado hit one more house, causing little damage, at 2136, before lifting just south of Fairmount at 2137. It was later on noted that the person who surveyed the Fairmount EF3 regretted his decision to not rate it a EF5, due to damage noted at Madison-Grant High School, and at the poorly constructed house. The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana also stated that the tornado "likely would have been rated EF4+" had it moved directly through Fairmount. Defiance, Ohio See article here: 2009 Defiance, Ohio tornado A tornado touched down at 2157 southwest of Defiance, Ohio. The tornado quickly intensified into a EF3 tornado, and as the tornado moved into Defiance, many homes were knocked down. The tornado caused several areas of EF4 damage, and caused 7 deaths. The worst damage was seen at a Chief Supermarket, where the outer walls were blown inward, while everything inside was torn apart. The metal beams of the building were also twisted. While this damage would normally result in a high-end EF4 rating, the NWS rated it this damage minimal EF4 due to "the lack of similar damage in surrounding areas". All 7 people, including 6 employees and 1 customer, that were in the Chief Supermarket were killed. It was found that 5 of them were stuffed in a shelf, attempting to take shelter. The tornado continued through the city at around 2205-2210, tearing the roofs off many houses, with several houses also sustaining minimal EF4 damage. The tornado finally began to significantly weaken after the passage through Defiance, and the tornado lifted at 2220. Hartford City, Indiana See article here: 2009 Hartford City, Indiana tornado The single strongest confirmed tornado of the outbreak, as well as one of the deadliest tornadoes on record, the Hartford City tornado formed out of the same supercell that had produced the New Castle EF2 about a hour prior. A funnel cloud formed at around 2219 in extreme northwestern Delaware County, the tornado touched down at 2227 southwest of Shamrock Lakes, rapidly intensifying into a EF4 tornado. This is where 8 of the 137 deaths would occur. The tornado moved through the center of Shamrock Lakes, fluctuating between EF3 and EF4 intensity. The tornado prompted a tornado emergency for Hartford City, and extensive damage was reported in Hartford City, where a astounding 129 deaths would occur. The tornado would lift at 2301. Union City, Indiana As activity began to wind down on April 17, after what was clearly a historic tornado day, a final major tornado touched down at 2357, the tornado tracked through the center of Union City. The most intense damage was recorded at a row of houses which saw their outer walls torn off, one house was partially swept from it's foundation, suggesting EF4 intensity, however it was determined the house was poorly constructed. The tornado crossed the Ohio state line into rural areas at 0015, and lifted at 0020. Marion, North Carolina The final major tornado of the outbreak, early on April 20, a EF4 tornado impacted the city of Marion, North Carolina. Most damage in the path of this tornado, including in the center, suggested EF1-EF3 intensity. However, the outer vortices of the tornado caused some isolated EF4 damage. It was originally rated EF5 due to one well-built house being cleanly swept from it's foundation, however it was later found that the tornado stalled over this house for 5 minutes. Aftermath As of April 24, 2009, the states of Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and North Carolina were under states of emergencies due to the outbreak or it's affiliated winter storm. The Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, as well as the territory of Nunavut were also under states of emergencies due to the affiliated winter storm (although southern Ontario was under a state of emergency due to the tornado outbreak). Roughly $20 million in federal aid went towards the city of Hartford City, Indiana alone, which was devastated and lost roughly 2.04% of it's population in a violent EF4 tornado which killed 137 people, which for 9 years was the deadliest tornado in Indiana state history.